Dive Review of
Loloata Island in
Papua New Guinea

 [Unspecified] 

Dive Conditions

[Unspecified]  

[None]  

Overall Rating

This place is quite under-rated as a dive destination.  Everything I'd read
described it as a stopover or alternative to staying in Port Moresby, which
it can be. I chose to go there after booking a liveaboard knowing it would
be crazy to go all the way to PNG just for a week, looking for another
place in the country where there might be some diving. But Loloata is good
enough to be a dive destination in itself.
The muck diving is excellent, as has been reported elsewhere, and
conveniently close to the resort: pipefish, nudibranchs, flatworms,
shrimp/gobies, crabs, cuttlefish, blennies, etc. The wonderful surprise was
the diving farther out, 15-40 minute boat ride; sites ranging from good to
excellent; bommies, walls and wrecks.  Great diversity and abundance of
reef species (butterfly fish, anemones/fish, angelf,parrotf, surgeonf,
triggerf, filef, snapper, eels, jacks, sweetlips etc, even some sharks) and
several sightings during the week there of pygmy seahorse, lacy
scorpionfish (both varieties), frogfish, leafy scorpionfish.  The wrecks,
mostly fishing trawlers, are shallow enough (less than 100') to have
plentiful coral growth (hard, soft, seafans) and associated populations
such as lionfish, sweepers, anthias, crabs, seahorses, scorpionfish,
shrimp, plus large groupers, triggerfish and barracuda around.  
The dive operation is top-notch in every way: handling equipment,
divemasters and crew above and below surface (briefings, finding and
pointing out things) helpful and competent at all times.  They will run a
boat out for even one diver.  Rates are good. Three dives a day if you want
and a night dive if requested.
The resort has a relaxing and homey atmosphere, and has everything you
need: 24-hour power, good plumbing, A/C, good food, a genuinely friendly
and always helpful staff. Each duplex bungalow has a large deck overlooking
the water and the mainland beyond, which you can enjoy (no bugs). 
Interesting assortment of wildlife on the grounds.  Altogether, a great
land-based dive destination, convenient to Port Moresby and modestly priced
in comparison to other places in this part of the world. 

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